News: Ingall Fights Back From Barbagallo Pit Stop Drama To Finish Race 1 Just Outside Top 10
Supercheap Auto Racing's Russell Ingall has spectacularly fought back from a major pit stop drama to finish 11th in today's first race of the BigPond 400 in Perth.
The air hose/spike used to operate the onboard jacks failed on Ingall'spit stop on lap 13, costing the former series champion 14 seconds and multiple track positions - the #39 Supercheap Auto Commodore falling from an effective 10th position by the start of the compulsory stops to 24th on exiting pit lane.
After qualifying in 25th position, team-mate Paul Morris also moved through the field during today's race to be 16th in the #67 Supercheap Auto Racing Commodore when the chequered flag fell.
It took less than one lap for the Safety Car to make its first appearance of the day, Jason Bright, Michael Caruso and Shane Van Gisbergen all involved in a spectacular incident that left two beached and all three ruled out of taking further part in the race.
The race was won by Ford's Mark Winterbottom with Toll Holden Racing Team duo Mark Skaife and Garth Tander completing the podium.
The round concludes tomorrow with two final 50 lap races.
Russell Ingall, #39 Supercheap Auto Racing Holden Commodore VE:
"An equipment failure cost us in the pits otherwise a top five was a certainty. As a positive we salvaged something with 11th. The saving grace was it was only Race 1, the car has got great pace and we've got the opportunity to recover tomorrow. Looking at the times we were lapping consistently as quick as Winterbottom, quicker than the two HRT cars, and that was coming through traffic so I can't be too unhappy. My Supercheap Auto Commodore never missed a beat, it felt good, its tyre wear was good, the brakes are excellent, nothing's going wrong with it. We've definitely got enough pace to get the front guys a hard time Sunday."
2008 V8 Supercar Championship Series, Rd 4 - BigPond 400 (Race 1)
1. Mark Winterbottom, Ford Performance Racing, Ford Falcon BF
2. Mark Skaife,Toll Holden Racing Team, Holden Commodore VE
3. Garth Tander, Toll Holden Racing Team, Holden Commodore VE
4. Steven Richards, Ford Performance Racing,Ford Falcon
5. Craig Lowndes, Team Vodafone, Ford Falcon BF
6. Rick Kelly, HSV Dealer Team, Holden Commodore VE
7. Jamie Whincup, Team Vodafone, Ford Falcon BF
8. Will Davison, Jim Beam Racing, Ford Falcon BF
9. Todd Kelly, Jack Daniel's Racing, Holden Commodore VE
10.Cameron McConville, Team WOW, Holden Commodore VE
11.Russell Ingall, Supercheap Auto Racing, Holden Commodore VE
16.Paul Morris, Supercheap Auto Racing, Holden Commodore VE
